Epson is probably the first alphabetically - you can do a
registry hack to make the default printer the same for
everyone. Says NT, but works on W2K also.
How to Add a Default Printer for All New Users
The information in this article applies to:
· Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server
Edition
· Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
· Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q252388
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about
modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry,
make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand
how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
information about how to back up, restore, and edit the
registry, click the following article number to view the
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry
SUMMARY
NOTE: This article describes how to edit the default user
Ntuser.dat file on a Windows NT workstation. You can use
the same steps to edit existing profiles or to create an
Ntuser.dat file for distribution with mandatory or roaming
profiles. However, the security and administration issues
raised by these other uses of this information are beyond
the scope of this article. Use the information in this
article at your own risk. When you are installing a
printer for users on a Windows NT workstation, you may
want that printer to be used as the default printer for
all users of the workstation without adding all of those
users to groups that have the right to add printers. New
users can use an installed printer if the Default User
profile has been correctly edited to add the correct
information for that printer.
The Default User profile is created when Windows NT is
installed. The first time a user logs on to a workstation
(or domain), the default user profile is copied to the
user profile. Therefore, only new users are affected by
changing the Default User profile as described in this
article.
MORE INFORMATION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may
cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall
your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you
can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To add a default printer for all new users:
1. Log on with the Administrator account and install
the appropriate default printer.
2. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
3. Locate the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\Devices
Note the information for the value of the key that
represents the default printer that you created in step 1.
For example, "Generic / Text Only : REG_SZ :
winspool,LPT1:" is the printer named "Generic / Text Only"
that is installed as a local printer using printer port
LPT1. Network printers are listed as
\\servername\sharename with a REG_SZ value similar
to "winspool,Ne00:".
4. On the Window menu, click HKEY_USERS.
5. On the Registry menu, click Load Hive.
6. In the %SystemRoot%\Profiles\Default User folder,
click the Ntuser.dat file, and then click Open.
7. In the Key Name box, type ntuser, and then click
OK.
8. Open the following key:
NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\Devices
9. On the Edit menu, click Add Value. Create the same
value you noted earlier. For example, if you are using the
sample printer mentioned earlier, "Generic / Text Only" is
the value name, "REG_SZ" is the data type,
and "winspool,LPT1:" is the string.
10. Locate the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\PrinterPorts
11. Note the information for the value of the key that
represents the default printer that you created in step 1.
For example, "Generic / Text Only : REG_SZ :
winspool,LPT1:,15,45".
12. Locate the following key:
HKEY_USERS\NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\PrinterPorts
13. On the Edit menu, click Add Value. Create the same
value you noted in the previous step. For example, if you
are using the sample printer mentioned earlier, "Generic /
Text Only" is the value name, "REG_SZ" is the data type,
and "winspool,LPT1:,15,45" is the string.
14. Locate the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\Windows
15. Note the information for the Device value. For
example, "Generic / Text Only,winspool,LPT1:".
16. Double-click the Device value in the following
key:
HKEY_USERS\NTUSER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
Version\Windows
17. Edit the Device value to reflect the information
you noted in the previous step. For the sample printer,
use "Generic / Text Only,winspool,LPT1:" for the string.
18. Locate the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers
19. Make a note of all the values contained in this
key and any subkeys. You may want to use the Save Key
command on the Registry menu.
20. Select the following key:
HKEY_USERS\NTUSER
21. On the Edit menu, click Add Key. Type Printers for
the new key name.
22. Click the following key:
HKEY_USERS\NTUSER\Printers
23. Add all the values that you noted in the step 19.
You may want to restore the key that you previously saved.
To do this, click the key, and then click Restore Key on
the Registry menu.
24. In the HKEY_USERS window, click the NTUSER key.
25. On the Registry menu, click Unload Hive.
26. Quit Registry Editor.
After you follow these steps, the Ntuser.dat file contains
the same installed printers and default printer as the
Administrator account. New users who log on to the
computer do not need the right to add a printer to use the
device. For additional information about editing the
default Ntuser.dat file, click the article number below to
view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
146050 Modifying Ntuser.dat Hive So New Users Get Defined
Settings
Last Reviewed: 10/14/2002
Keywords: kbenv kbhowto kbprint KB252388
